Gestational monitoring in buffalo females: detection of Neospora caninum by PCR.

This study establishes the serological frequency against Neospora caninum on day zero and the presence of N. caninum DNA surveyed throughout the gestation of Bubalus bubalis females in a bovine buffalo system in the central zone of the state of Veracruz, Mexico. Blood samples were taken from 11 females in 6 different sampling periods and analyzed for N. caninum antibodies detection on day zero. DNA detection by PCR was performed on all sampling periods. The gestation months of the females were recorded for five trimesters by ultrasonography, as well as births and pregnancy losses. Recorded seropositivity and positivity for agent DNA were 90.9% (95% CI 58.7-9.7) and 36.3% (95% CI 10.9-69.2), respectively, on day zero. N. caninum DNA was detected between 18.1% (95% CI 2.3-51.7) and 45.4% (95% CI 16.7-76.6) over the five trimesters of observation, with three births and three abortions recorded. The studied water buffalo population had a high presence of N. caninum antibodies; however, the detection of N. caninum DNA remained below 47% in the females. The association was only observed in the detection of DNA with pregnant females ( P 0.007). Our results support the hypothesis of the resistance of water buffaloes to infection and the onset of clinical signs against infection by N . caninum even upon a high possibility of infection and reinfection described in this production system in Mexico.